Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Specifications and additional documents (including documents for a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)

Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)

I.2)Main activity

Railway services
Urban railway, tramway, trolleybus or bus services

I.3)Contract award on behalf of other contracting entities

The contracting entity is purchasing on behalf of other contracting entities: no

Section II: Object of the contract

II.1)Description

II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting entity:

Network Engineering Professional Services Framework 2015 – 2019.

II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance

Services
Service category No 12: Architectural services; engineering services and integrated engineering services; urban planning and landscape engineering services; related scientific and technical consulting services; technical testing and analysis services
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance: Northern Ireland.

NUTS code UKN0

II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)

II.1.4)Information on framework agreement

II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s):

Network Engineering Professional Services 2015-2019.
The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHC) is a public corporation established under the Transport Act (NI) 1967 to oversee the provision of public transport in Northern Ireland. It is responsible for the operation of its subsidiary companies, Citybus (now Metro), NI Railways and Ulsterbus, which deliver passenger transport services.
Translink is the brand name of the 3 operating companies, which operate integrated, scheduled bus and rail services in Northern Ireland, including cross-border and cross-channel links under a Public Service Obligation. Translink is one of Northern Ireland’s largest employers, with over 3 500 employees, 80 000 000 passengers per annum and an annual turnover of 125 000 000 GBP.
NITHC owns and manages a diverse range of land and property assets in its portfolio including bus and rail passenger facilities, operational depot facilities and investment and income producing properties.
Northern Ireland Railways wish to establish a framework of economic operators to provide civil and structural design services to the NIR network.
Typical examples of type of projects to be undertaken:
— Bridges and culverts (under/overline),
— Viaducts,
— Earthworks and retaining structures,
— Sea and river defences,
— Platforms,
— Gantries,
— 3rd party/and miscellaneous structures,
— Feasibility studies, and
— Drainage solutions.
The services are for the provision of the following services:
— Civil/structural engineer- assessment and design,
— Civil/structural engineer- survey and inspection,
— Civil/structural engineer feasibility studies and/or reporting,
— Project manager/contract administrator,
— CDM co-ordinator (unless appointed under separate framework),
— CEEQUAL assessor (if required).
The services for any project may be for all the above services or a selection of the above depending on the complexity of the project. Project Management services may be included for a specific scheme, however, depending on the scheme the contracting authority may opt to separate this service and award it separately. It is essential that all the appointed economic operators have sufficient depth and range of resources which will allow a rapid response to attend any emergency incident on NIR’s railway network. Typically emergency incidents include failure to embankments/cuttings and damage bridges following a vehicle strike.
Some works within a railway engineering environment will involve overnight or weekend/Sunday working, when absolute possession of the track can be taken. Consultants will be required to mobilise at short notice and work during unsociable hours. It should be understood that appointed economic operators must be available to provide where reasonable resources at short notice for essential engineering works. Where necessary ‘on call’ staffing may be required over weekend/holiday periods.
Any person who requires to work on or near the railway must adhere to the regulations of the current version of the NIR Rule Book and any other company regulations.
The successful economic operators will then be awarded work packages through a random round robin system and required to tender for consultancy services for large scale projects via ‘mini-competitions’.
There is no maximum value of a scheme under the framework the only limit is the advertised spend limit for the framework.
The framework contract is to be for a 4 year period duration subject to break clauses.
The framework contract is not a guarantee of any future workload but demonstrates an intention to utilise those appointed economic operators to provide services where appropriate.
Estimated value: The estimated fee value excluding VAT of the services is 5 000 000 GBP over 4 years.
Form of contract: A NEC3 framework contract will be issued to all successful economic operators. For future draw downs and min-competitions a NEC3 PSC will be used. Details of the contract conditions shall be set out in the invitation to tender documents.
Pre-qualification return date: Please note the return date for pre-qualifications is no later than 12:00 Tuesday 18.8.2015.

II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)

71311000

II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The contract is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA): yes

2. Click the ‘Click here to register’ link.
3. Accept the terms and conditions and click ‘continue’.
4. Enter your correct business and user details.
5. Note the username you chose and click ‘Save’ when complete.
6. You will shortly receive an e-mail with your unique password (please keep this secure).
7. Login to the portal with the username/password.
8. Click the ‘PQQs Open to All Suppliers’ link (these are PQQs open to any registered supplier).
9. Click on the relevant PQQ to access the content.
10. Click the ‘Express Interest’ button in the ‘Actions’ box on the left-hand side of the page. This will move the PQQ over to the ‘My PQQs’ page (this is a secure area reserved for your projects only).
11. Click on the PQQ code, you can now access any attachments by clicking the ‘Settings and Buyer Attachments’ in the ‘Actions’ box on the left-hand side of the page.
12. You can now ‘Reply or Reject’ (please give a reason if rejecting).
13. Note the deadline for completion, then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the PQQ.
If you require any further assistance the BravoSolution help desk is available Monday – Friday (8:00-18:00) on:

— Phone (UK): +44 8003684850; Phone (outside UK): +44 2033496601.
Note: Do not leave completing your PQQ/ITT response until the last minute, late responses shall be rejected. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award any contract as a result of this competition.
About the Translink Group:
Throughout the documentation, both ‘Translink’ and ‘Group’ refer to the same corporate entities. Both shall be taken to comprise the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHC) in addition to its main operating subsidiaries Citybus Ltd, Northern Ireland Railways Company Ltd and Ulsterbus Ltd.
The Translink Group provide integrated public transport across Northern Ireland. The organisation is one of Northern Ireland’s largest employers with approximately 4 000 employees and a turnover in excess of 168 000 000 GBP. Over 81 000 000 passenger journeys are made on Translink Group services each year.

VI.4)Procedures for appeal

VI.4.1)Body responsible for appeal procedures

Please see section VI.4.2

Body responsible for mediation procedures

Not Applicable

VI.4.2)Lodging of appeals

Precise information on deadline(s) for lodging appeals: The Translink Group will incorporate a standstill period at the point information on the award of the contract is communicated to tenderers. That notification will provide full information on the award decision. The standstill period which will be for a minimum of 10 calendar days provides time for unsuccessful tenderers to challenge the award decision before the contract is entered into.
The Utilities Contracts Regulations 2006 provide for aggrieved parties who have been harmed or are at risk of harm by a breach of the rules to take action in the High Court (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).

VI.4.3)Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained